In re T.A. CA2/5

I. INTRODUCTION

T.A., Sr. (father) appeals from the juvenile court’s order terminating dependency jurisdiction under Welfare and Institutions Code section 3641 and its exit custody order, which granted joint legal and physical custody of the child, T.A. (the child), to him and the child’s mother, A.S.2 (mother). Father argues the court’s termination of jurisdiction was premature because further investigation was needed to ensure the child was safe in mother’s care. In the alternative, father argues the court should have granted him sole physical custody of the child. We affirm.

1 All statutory references are to the Welfare and Institutions Code unless otherwise stated.

2 Mother is not a party to this appeal.

2

II. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

A. Jurisdiction

On February 28, 2023, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (the Department) filed a section 300 petition on behalf of the then five-year-old child and his half- sibling J.H.3, which alleged, as relevant to this appeal, that father used inappropriate discipline on the child and mother failed to protect the child from exposure to domestic violence between mother and…